Ask the Naturopathic Doctor: Women’s Health and Sleep

A: Women are more likely than men to have disturbed sleep, with either difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. These problems often develop in mid-life and can occur in association with hormonal changes. There are several lifestyle modifications that can help improve sleep:

Sleep hygiene: total darkness in the bedroom with no ambient light, go to bed at the same time every night (best by 10 pm)

Avoid screens for at least an hour before bed

Keep the temperature cool in the bedroom

Have a light snack with protein shortly before bed to prevent overnight hypoglycemia

Beyond these simple techniques, evaluating hormone levels (including melatonin and cortisol) can be helpful to appropriately address hormone balance and adrenal function. While melatonin can be used as a short-term sleep aid, other agents that manage nighttime cortisol levels such as phosphatidyl serine might be more suitable. Peri-menopausal sleep disturbances can also sometimes be improved with natural progesterone cream. A naturopathic consult can help identify the issues at hand and resolve them to balance hormones and improve sleep.